Matthew Barron was right once again.

It was Barron and his friend Robert Beith who came up with the simple idea that would become the Press Herald Toy Fund in the Spirit of Bruce Roberts.

Times were hard in that winter of 1949. Barron worked in the city of Portland’s welfare department, and Beith wrote a news column for the Portland Evening Express under the pen name Bruce Roberts.

Beith asked his readers to pitch in to save Christmas for children in need, and Barron used the donated money to buy toys that he distributed to struggling families.

The plan worked better than they hoped, and it became an enduring legacy to the two men.

Beith would admit later in life that he never expected so many readers would “keep the contributions rolling in with their only reward being the vision of children’s happy faces when they opened their presents, and their parents’ happiness in knowing that someone out there cares.”

Barron never doubted it.

“Matt Barron always said that the people of the area would never fail the fund drive,” Beith remembered.

Readers proved him right once again this year, even as the Toy Fund faced a dramatic surge in the number of families requesting help.

The charity distributed toys and books for well over 4,000 children who will experience the magic of the holidays because of the generosity of strangers they will never meet.

While more donations are still needed to cover all of the costs this year, the outpouring of support has ensured that the 76-year-old tradition will continue.

The charity founded by Barron and Beith, which was initially known as the Bruce Roberts Santa Fund, has brought hope and happiness to generations of Maine children and their parents, but it wasn’t their only contribution to the community.

Barron worked his way up to become the longtime director of Portland’s welfare office. He also oversaw Portland’s City Hospital, which he and his wife, Evelyn, a registered nurse, transformed into a modern nursing care institution now known as the Matthew I. and Evelyn A. Barron Center.

Barron eventually served on the Portland City Council and became mayor.

Beith started his career as a reporter and worked his way up to become editor and then publisher of Guy Gannett Publishing Co., which also included the Portland Press Herald, the Maine Sunday Telegram, the Kennebec Journal in Augusta and the Morning Sentinel in Waterville.

Beith helped introduce newspapers as a teaching tool in Maine classrooms and was a leading force behind passage of the state’s freedom of information law, which made government more transparent to all Maine citizens.

Family members and admirers of both men continue to send donations each year in honor of their service to Maine children.

The Toy Fund uses those donations to buy toys and books for kids up to 16 years old in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Androscoggin and Knox counties.

The Press Herald and Lewiston Sun Journal publish lists of donations to the Toy Fund, along with stories about the holiday gift drive, from Thanksgiving through the month of December.

HOW TO HELP:

To make a donation online, go to pressherald.com/toy-fund.

Checks made out to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund may be mailed to 295 Gannett Drive, South Portland, ME 04106.

Names of donors are published in the Press Herald and Lewiston Sun Journal unless a donor wishes to remain anonymous.

TODAY’S DONATIONS:

• $200.00: Morton G. Soule
• $500.00: In memory of Burt Wolfe — Samuel Beal
• $25.00: Nancy Winetrout Schenck
• $50.00: Julia Pew
• $50.00: To help brighten a child’s Christmas morning! Merry Christmas — From Eleanor
• $100.00: Cumberland County Retired Educators Association
• $75.00: In memory of Lou — Anonymous
• $100.00: To Mom and Dad and sister Joyce — Michael Nelson
• $150.00: Anonymous
• $50.00: In loving memory of Russ Lunt — Sherre Maynard
• $100.00: In memory of Nana, Maxine Hartford, for children who love Christmas — Kathleen Carr
• $75.00: Anonymous
• $50.00: Merry Christmas! — Bob and Marcy Laliberte
• $200.00: William Vaughan
• $100.00: Anonymous
• $75.00: In memory of Mina and Joe Lomac — Julie and Steven Tselikis
• $50.00: In memory of Stanley and Sampson Jr. — Ardean Pike
• $100.00: Marilyn Peay
• $50.00: In memory of Blanche and Fernald Goulette — Elizabeth Goulette
• $100.00: Leon and Paula Cooper
• $50.00: In memory of our niece, Robin — Win and Linda Gillis
• $50.00: In memory of Fedora Nicole, who loved children — Louise Griffin
• $50.00: Merry Christmas to the children, in honor of Ethan and Owen — Linda Daley and Michelle Shattuck
• $100.00: In memory of Walter and Stella Baker — Anonymous
• $25.00: In memory of our dear brother, Gary — Robert and Janine Cook
• $40.00: In memory of Bill and Alice Amero – the Kids — Eugenie Pettengill and Donna Bernier
• $50.00: For Robert Pettengill – the Family — Eugenie Pettengill and Donna Bernier
• $300.00: Kathleen and Ken Pierce
• $150.00: Rudy Labrecque
• $25.00: Darryl Arsenault
• $100.00: Anonymous
• $50.00: In memory of my husband, Dick, who loved Christmas, children and Maine — Joanne Sullivan
• $50.00: Anonymous
• $50.00: Anonymous
• $250.00: Merry Christmas from Kirsten, Lauren, Ella, Annie and Liam — James Dunn
• $410.00: Rachel’s on the Green
• $150.00: From Maryann and Jack — John Gow
• $25.00: Irene Reilly
• $100.00: Anonymous
• $100.00: Carol Luckern
• $50.00: Janice Watson
• $200.00: Merry Christmas, in memory of Gram and Papa, Grammy D and Tom — Patricia Axelsen
• $200.00: In loving memory of Harold and Theo Moxcey: Carole, Kim and Stephanie — Carole Luce
• $200.00: Anonymous
• $100.00: Anonymous
• $100.00: Anonymous
• $500.00: In memory of Julien E. Dumont and Justin D. Reese … forever loved — Michelle and David Reese
• $25.00: Anonymous
• $400.00: Helping wishes come true — Patricia Clark
• $50.00: In loving memory of Mike Jordan, who loved giving, teaching and helping people, especially children and animals. You are missed, my angel. — Jennifer Babineau
• $200.00: Nancy Bogg
• $50.00: In memory of: Richard, Ann Hall, Doris Hardy, Pat Benner and Scott Hall, for their love of children! — Deborah Hall
• $25.00: In memory of Shaun McIntyre, love, Mom — Shirley McIntyre
• $50.00: Anonymous
• $50.00: In memory of our parents, Sena and Warren Herbert and Irene and Henry Ducharme — Judith and Gerald Ducharme
• $25.00: In memory of Diane and Clem — Dorothy Spaulding
• $200.00: Newell and Suzanne Augur
• $100.00: David and Sandra Dickison
• $100.00: In memory of Ted Clark. Sweetest, kindest brother and beloved by fellow NPR radio staff — George (Kris) Clark
• $200.00: Merry Christmas — Judith C. Johanson
• $100.00: In memory of Bill & Max — Sandra Smith
• $200.00: Ron & Barbara Boes
• $100.00: Lorraine Galgano — Gerald A. & Marie L. Day
• $150.00: In memory of Don and Fran Hale — Sonia L. Hale
• $50.00: Anonymous
• $500.00: Charlene Wax
• $100.00: Patricia G. Brigham
• $50.00: George J. & Rebecca W. Seel
• $50.00: Lance T. & Karen O. Fletcher
• $1,000.00: Beverly A. Golish
• $25.00: In loving memory of the Hines and Harrigan Family. From the Family — James S. Hines
• $100.00: Cynthia P. Hughes
• $50.00: Anonymous
• $50.00: Anonymous
• $100.00: Virginia C. & Stephen R. Bearce
• $300.00: Thank you for all you do for the children in need. Merry Christmas! — James M. & Margaret A. Folland
• $200.00: Cath O’Connor
• $50.00: Ed & Dorothy McAloney

Year to date total: $176,634.42.